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I had to borrow the House Energy and Commerce committee's handbook on stitching together mismatched body parts order to come up with an ideal candidate, since Jeb (the Bush that should have been) isn't likely to run. In my laboratory, the first brain jar I'd reach for would be Mitch Daniels'. I'd hook it to Sarah Palin's personal history and personality, cover it with Bobby Jindal's youth and ethnicity, and just before I pulled the power switch, I'd inject Mitt Romney's shrewdness.

Of the four, Daniels might have the most appeal if we entered 2012 with anything like the red ink being forecast now, and it had become the determinant issue among independent voters. He would be immune from the standard attacks used by Democrats, but may not be able to overcome a charisma assault from Obama. Palin should be much better than she is; a small dose of moderation and a 10-year subscription to the Wall Street Journal could have worked wonders with that raw material. Jindal is Daniels without the experience, and Romney only wins if GDP is still sputtering and everyone's looking for a capitalist jump start. Others? Pawlenty is a vanilla without a cause, but watch out for Haley Barbour, the new Happy Warrior.

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